Smith River WMA
SEASONAL -- this WMA is open only May 15 to Nov 30; it is CLOSED the rest of the year to protect big-game winter range. Do not plan a winter or early-spring night here. Smith River Wildlife Management Area, managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, FWP Region 4. FWP's own site record lists a designated primitive campsite here and its fee table shows no camping fee. IMPORTANT -- THIS IS NOT FREE LAND, even though the camping itself costs nothing: Montana requires a Conservation License of every person aged 12 and older to use an FWP wildlife management area FOR ANY REASON, not just to hunt or fish. It is $8/year for residents, $10/year for nonresidents ($4 for resident youth 12-17 and seniors 62+). Buy it before you arrive. There is no separate per-night camping fee. Camping is allowed only in areas FWP has designated or marked for it (ARM 12.12.107), for no more than 7 nights in any 30-day period statewide. Primitive: pack in / pack out, no hookups and no drinking water; no toilet is listed. Quiet hours are 10 p.m.-7 a.m. and certified weed-free feed is required for stock. We have not visited this site. Confirm the current season dates, the travel plan map and whether camping is still allowed with FWP Region 4 at (406)499-2356 before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
- FFuel17 mi
- RxPharmacy17 mi
- LLaundry17 mi
- ShShower17 mi
- @Mail17 mi
- GGrocery17 mi
- DDump22 mi
- WWater27 mi
- OOutfitter31 mi
- HHardware32 mi
- MMechanic36 mi
- +Urgent care39 mi
The read: water is a real 27-mi drive, fuel & food sit about 17 mi out.
Not within 60 mi: Propane. Plan those before you head up.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureSmith River (river) · nearby
- Nearest townFort Logan · ~2.6 mi
- Drinking waternone within 10 mi
- FuelFuel · ~17.1 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump stationDump station · ~22.3 mi
- GroceriesMathis Food Farm · ~17.2 mi
- PharmacyCastle Mountain Drug · ~17.1 mi
- Hospital / clinicMountainview Medical Center · ~17.1 mi
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Vault / pit toiletCalf Creek Cabin · ~12.6 mi NE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletThompson Sta. · ~13.8 mi S · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletGipsy Lake Day Use Area · ~14.8 mi S · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletGipsy Lake Campground · ~15.0 mi S · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- East Big Belts Gfa - Benton Gulch Cua~9.7 mi
- East Big Belts Gfa - Atlanta/Mule Cua~10.0 mi
- Benton Rd 287 021~10.2 mi
- Blacktail Rd 4171 007~10.3 mi
How we know this
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- Road surface & last-mile access
- How many rigs actually fit
- Cell coverage by carrier
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up